with leaders, weakened 6f out, soon tailed off
held up, headway 6f out, weakened over 3f out
behind, lost place 7f out, tailed off
chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, chased winner 2f out, one pace
held up mid-division, led 8f out, saddle slipped 6f out, clear over 1f out, eased inside final furlong
led, ran wide on bend halfway, headed 8f out, weakened over 1f out
chased leaders, ridden 3f out, weakened final furlong
chased leaders, one pace final furlong
chased leaders, outpaced 7f out, soon ridden, stayed on strongly to chase winner final furlong, nearest finish
held up, headway to challenge 4f out, weakened over 2f out
Winter Sport makes plenty of appeal on pedigree but trainer Philip Hobbs does not have many bumper winners and he looks worth taking on with a safer bet being It's Bertie, who is preferred to Nile Moon. The last mentioned was well beaten on his debut but the likelihood is that Howard Johnson's gelding is a good deal better than he showed on that occasion. According To Pete showed promise on his Bangor debut in March and has to be respected on his first outing since then, while Crafty Lady has been placed in both starts so far and should be thereabouts again. Cardinal Sinn, from the yard of Mark Pitman, is worthy of a mention but the vote goes to It's Bertie, who showed enough at Catterick when last seen to suggest that a race of this nature would be within his compass.
Branodunum Bal Harbour gelding out of 1m2f winner Hiding Place.
Cottam Phantom 14-1 (10-11) Held up, lost place over 5f out, 6th of 8, 28l behind Spirit of New York (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 1f nhf (H) gd.
It's Bertie 12-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, ridden 3f out, every chance approaching final furlong, not quicken, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Malt de Vergy (11-4) at Catterick 2m nhf (H) gs in Feb.
Stoneferry 25-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, headway 4f out, effort and chance over 1f out, one pace under pressure, 4th of 9, 7l behind Rising Tempest (10-1) at Hexham 2m nhf (H) gf in Sept.
Crafty Lady (IRE) 6-4fav (10-9) Led early and again over 3f out, ridden and headed 2f out, no extra final furlong, 3rd of 5, 3 1/2l behind Keralam (11-2) at Ludlow 2m nhf (H) gf in May.
According To Pete 7-1 (10-11) Held up, headway approaching 6f out, ridden over 2f out, every chance well over 1f out, soon weakened, 3rd of 11, 7l behind Rimsky (10-11) at Bangor 2m 1f nhf (H) gd in Mar.
Cardinal Sinn (UAE) 14-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, effort 3f out, weakened over 1f out, 8th of 11, 14l behind Cracboumwiz (11-4) at Huntingdon 2m nhf (H) gd in Mar.
Winter Sport (IRE) Oscar gelding, half-brother to bumper winner Perambie.
